Donna Burleigh says she can't put into words the loss of her brother, a grandfather of three, who died just weeks after his car was smashed into head-on by a teenager who was texting at the wheel.

In the two months after Aaron Deveau, 18, was found guilty of causing Donald Bowley's death, Burleigh says she's done a lot of reflecting.

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"Whenever we left each other, we always said, 'I love you,' and that's a hard thing not to hear from him," she said.

Prosecutors said Deveau had been texting moments before the crash on Feb. 20, 2011, in Haverhill, Mass.

The court case surrounding the 2011 crash drew national headlines. Deveau was among the first ever convicted of negligent driving causing death and also causing serious bodily injury to Bowley's girlfriend.

"I can't even describe to you the anger that we had because it was so senseless," she said.

Deveau's attorneys continually denied the allegations, but a jury of six found him guilty. He will serve a year behind bars.

"We all make choices, and he made that choice to pick up that phone and either read it or whatever he was doing with it. He made that choice. And unfortunately it caused this horrific crash," said Burleigh.

Burleigh says the family was hoping Deveau would be sentenced to more jail time, but they're not focusing on that or their heartbreak. Instead, she is an advocate for safer driving.

"When his life ended and we went through the trial, that's when I felt in my heart that we really need to do something more. We need to make something positive out of his death," she said.

Texting and driving is illegal in New Hampshire and in Massachusetts.

Burleigh is now on a mission to make sure the law is being followed, and she says she would consider helping attempts to toughen legislation.

She knows nothing will bring her brother back, but she hopes his story will serve as a reminder to all drivers.

"We can't change that, but we can change others, of the way they approach driving and use of their cell phones. I think that's the best way we can honor my brother," she said.